This Sunday we read one of my favorite passages from Saint John. He writes to the churches to remind them that if they really love God and his Son Jesus, then they must first love their brothers and sisters. I believe this is a message that has been lost in the church today.
We are called to show love to everyone that we meet. Saint John reminds us that in order to reach heaven, we must follow Jesus’ commandments. And Jesus only left us two. Love God and love our neighbor as ourselves. This is not an easy set of commandments for many Christians today.
You see, we are called to love even the unlovable. It is our call to love even those who are incapable of loving in return. And yes, that love extends even to those who abuse and hurt us.
That does not mean that we have to subject ourselves to the abuse. We can love people from afar. However, we must still strive to love them. I find this particularly hard when the people around me want me dead or at least silenced because of who I am, who I love, or who I support.
Yet, every day I strive to show them love and compassion. This is the calling of the Gospel. This is what Saint John and Saint Peter are trying to get us to understand in this weekend’s readings. If we cannot love those around us, then we cannot love God.
Join us this weekend as we explore what that radical love looks like in our world today.
Pax et Bonum,
Bishop Greer